I’ve eaten in a lot of Indian restaurants—including my training ground in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens in New York City—and I’ve never had Indian food that to my palate is any better than Taste of India’s. Chicken tikka masala at Taste of India was simply superb. I noticed right off the bat that the Indian sauces and gravies were more complex than any I’d previously tasted. Even a simple dish like daal makhani at Taste of India is something extraordinary. Makhani means “with butter,” and so this vegetarian dish of red kidney beans and black lentils combines subtle butter notes with ginger, garlic, tomato and onions—all coalescing to make a rich, creamy sauce that’ll make you want to lick the bowl. Reviewed March 12. 1664 N. Woodland Park Drive, Layton, 801-614-0107
Mariposa
It’s a bummer that one of Utah’s best restaurants is only open during the ski season. Marvelous things too often come in limited supply and vanish in the blink of an eye. Take the new tasting menus at Mariposa, for instance. Executive chef Clark Norris has created two “small portion” tasting menus—one vegetarian, the other with meat and seafood—that serve as a survey of some of Mariposa’s best dishes. I hate using the “melt-in-your-mouth” food descriptor, but it’s dead-on for describing Chef Norris’ exquisite sablefish Mariposa: delicate sablefish filet glazed with honey and tamari and bathed in a delightful fresh ginger sauce. Sautéed wild mushrooms and herbed quinoa with roasted cipollini onions, house-dried tomatoes and mushroom broth was a rich, earthy dish, yet somehow light on the palate. I can’t wait to return for the Mariposa cassoulet. Silver Lake Lodge, Deer Valley Resort, 801-645-6715, DeerValley.com
Ganesh Indian Cuisine
Virtually every local Indian restaurant that I’m aware of features a lunch buffet. And frankly, I’ve yet to find one that wasn’t well worth the $5-9 you pay. One of my favorites— and a favorite of other City Weekly staffers—is Ganesh Indian Cuisine in Midvale. The lunch buffet at Ganesh features a bounty of tempting treats for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The offerings change from day to day but you’ll usually find a vegetarian and meat curry, sometimes korma, along with chana dal, tandoori chicken, fresh-baked naan, raita, sambar soup, papadum, samosas, masalas, rice pudding and the unique Hyderabadi dishes that Ganesh is so popular for. Definitely try the bindi masala (okra and masala sauce) if it’s available. Reviewed Feb. 26. 777 E. fort Union Blvd, Midvale, 801-569-3800
